Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

Aloe ferox hybrid Aloe Eager Beaver

DescriptionRosettes of fleshy bluish green succulent leaves, which have spines along the edges. The spines are soft and are not dangerous. Racemes of packed tubular orange coloured flowers are held high on single firm stalks.

We have so many more plants in bloom this month in Sydney, open our Must See PDF and take a tour of the garden.

Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan

Phagodia spinescensSpiny Saltbush, Hedge Saltbush, Thorny Saltbush

EtymologyGenus:Rhagodia from the Greek rhagodes; referring to the similarity of fruit to berries or grapesSpecies: Spinescens somewhat spiny

DescriptionA small, spreading or upright shrub which may reach 0.5-1.5 m high by 1.5-4 m across. This species has small, greyish-green leaves which are covered with a flour like powder, called mealy. The branchlets are also mealy and sometimes spiny tipped.

Photo: Jan Allen

Blue Mountains Botanic Garden, Mount Tomah

Protea cynaroides King protea ‘King White’

EtymologyGenus:Protea from the Greek god, Proteus, capable of changing his form at will and in reference to the variety of forms within the genus.Species: Cynaroides resembling Cynara, the genus name of the globe artichoke, in reference to the involucral bracts, especially obvious in bud.

DistributionThe species, from which this cultivar was developed by the ‘Proteaflora’ plant nursery in Monbulk, Victoria, is native to South Africa. There, it is the most widespread protea species with variation in flower colour, flowering time and plant morphology leading to the recognition of variants. The predominant flower colour is pink though white forms have been seen in the Kogelberg area and may occur elsewhere